Sylvania



y 30, 1929- w. I. RAVERT l ,722,859

SELF ACTING IRON SUPPORT OR. TRAY FOR FOLDING IRONING BOARDS Filed Aug. 20, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 V INVENTOR WITNESSES r July 30, 1929. 1,722,859

sank ACTING IRON SUPPORT OR TRAY FOR FOLDING IRONING BOARDS W. I RAVERT Filed Aug. 20, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 William Ilka/en? INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented July 30, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM ISAAC RAVERT, OF I-IAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO A. W. DRAKE MANUFACTURING 00., OF HAZ LETON, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

SELF-ACTING IRON SUPPORT OR TRAY FOR FOLDING IRONING BOARDS.

Application filed August 20, 1923. Serial No. 658,298.-

This invention relates to attachments for ironing boards, and aims to provide an iron support or tray which is projected automatically beyond the board as the supporting legs of the board are extended and is withdrawn simultaneously beneath the board when the legs of the board are folded.

The invention has other aims and advan tages which will appear from the following description of one illustrative embodiment.

In the accompanying drawings wherein is shown a preferred embodiment of'the invention:

Figure 1 is an elevation of an ironing board equipped with, an iron support constructed and mounted thereon in accordance with the principles of my invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the ironing board in. folded or collapsed position;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same;

Figure 4 isa transverse section on line k-d of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the bar which connects the slidably mounted iron support with one of the legs of the ironing board;

Figure 6 is a perspective View of the frame for the iron support; 1

Figure 7 a similar view of the iron support or tray;

Figures 8 and 9 are similar views of the two guides for the tray frame.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, and first particularly to Figures 1 and 2, I have shown an ironing board of the type described and claimed in an application of George W. Gomber, Serial No. 567,688, comprising a board 10 which is supported by two pairs of legs, the shorter legs 11 being pivoted to the opposite ends of a plate or bar 12 secured to the underside of board 10 at an intermediate point, and extending transversely of the board. Between the ends of bar 12 there is mounted a strap 13 so that said strap may rock about an axis extending longitudinally of the bar 12. A pair of crossed links 14: are pivotally connected at opposite ends to the strap 13 and to the legs 11, and act to spread said legs when the latter are extended (Fig. l) and to bring the legs together when folded (Fig. 2). a

distance, the norn'ial position of the legs when opened being as seen from Fig. 1. Ohviously the effect of slides 17 is to spread or expand l6 simultaneously with legs 11, so that (in the preferred form) all four legs extend beyond the confines of the board and provide a very stable support therefor.

The special feature of the ironing board described briefly above is that its legs open 7 and close solely by the action of gravity. With the board collapsed or folded as shown in Fig. 3, when it is desired to extend the legs, it is only necessary to hold the board horizontally, whereupon the legs will fall downwardly simultaneously and will automatically spread outwardly until the stops 18 limit further movement. If the board is to be collapsed, the laundress merely lifts the largeend of the board so that it assumes a more or less vertical position; the legs then quickly close and fold together as seen in Figure 2. In a sense, then, the board which has been described is automatic or self-opening and closing.

The present invention relates particularly to an iron support or tray which will be extended when the legs of the ironing board are extended, but will be withdrawn out of the way when the legs are collapsed. While I have described my invention in connection with an ironing board of a particular construction, it will. be made clear that my iron support or tray may be employed. with any ironing board having one or more folding legs.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a shallow tray or traylike structure 20, (Fig. 7) in which an iron may rest, supported within a preferably quadrilateral open frame 21 (Fig. 6) which may be of hoop steel or similar material. The tray 20 is conveniently held to the frame by rivets passing through side holes 22 punched in the frame and semi-punchings through the end at 22. The ends of the frame are brought together as indicated at 23, and are punched so that a connection. may be made between the frame and a rod or bar that extends to a leg of the ironing board, as will be presently described.

it is (leSllttblE to mount the tray slidably so that it moves out beyond the end of the board when the legs are being extended, but is withdrawn within the confines ofj the board when the board is collapsed. To sup port and guide the frame during its inward and outwardmovement a'pair of guides is provided, said guides beingshown separately in Figs. 8 and 9, and attached to the board in Figs. 2 and 4:, The guide 24L (Fig. 9) which may be of hoop steel,-is secured to the underside of the board preferably by means of rivets passing through perforations 25, and, since the tray is preferably movable between the pivots of legs 16, the guide 24 is bent or offset as shown at 26 to pass over thebar 15 which supports the legs 16. At ach end the guide 24 is bent, as indicated at .27, and the bent ends have like slots 28 and notches 29. One of the sides of frame 21 passes through each slot 2S and enters each notch '29, so that the frame is constrained to slide in a straight line. On the other side of the board the guide 30 is secured, preferably over the bar 15, and has an offset 82 for this purpose. An arm bent from the guide 30 extends outwardly from the board and has aslot 34 adapted to receive the opposite side of frame 21. The :imme is thus guided during reciprocation and at the same time is supported adjacent the under face of the board.

For the purpose of connecting the frame w h one of the legs, a rod or bar 35 is provided, said'rod being shown se} arately in i igu re 5, and having bent ends 86 adapted to be ioined by rivets, bolts, screws or the like to end 23 of the frame and to the nearer ll, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. It has already been noted that the legs of the preferred type of ironing board open andclose antomatically e. under the influence of gray -.y alone; hence when my invention is employed with such an ironing board, the

iron rest will be extended and withdrawn autematically-,a unique and highly desirable feature. Nevertheless, my invention maybe advantageously used with ordinary iron-mg boards, and whenso used is extended or retracted by connection with a single swi ng-ably mounted leg.

The tray 20 may have an asbestos pad 37 7 to prevent the heat of the iron from being 'co-nducted'to the tray and to protect the 'smoothsurface of the iron.

While I have described my invention as relating to iron'supports, I do not wish to be limited to any particular use of the tray 20,

which obviously may support many different articles. llor do I wish to be limited to the use of the support in conjunction with ironing boards, because for some purposes folding tables may have auxiliary article sup ports withdraw able by folding of the legs.

Obviously the present invention not restricted to the particular embodiment there of herein shown and described. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all the features of the invention be used conjointly, since they may be employed advantageously in various combinations and sub-combinatio11s. Having described one illustrative form which my invention may assume, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Let ters Patent is 1. The combination with an ironing board having folding legs, of an extensible and retractible iron rest mounted on the board, and a link pivotally connected to the rest and to a movable part of one of the legs, whereby the iron rest is extended simultaneously with the unfolding of said legs.

2. The combination with an ironing board having folding legs, each pivotal ly connected to the board, of a projectible iron rest slidably supported by the board and connected with one of said legs at a distance from its pivot, whereby the iron rest is automatically projected and retracted by the unfolding and folding of the legs.

8. The combination with an ironing board having folding legs, of an iron rest supported and guided on the underside of the board and movable into projecting relation beyond the end of the board or into a position wholly beneath the board, and a rod pivotally connected at one end to the rest and at the other endto one of the legs at a distance from the axis about which the latter folds, whereby theswingingof said leg moves the iron rest to either of its extreme positions.

4. In combination with an ironing board having two pairs of connected folding legs movable simultaneously as a unit from folded to an unfolded position, and vice versa, guides mounted beneath the board between one pair of the legs, a frame supported by and slidable in said guides, a tray carried by the frame, and a rod connecting the frame with a movable portion of one of the legs, whereby the movement of the legs actuates the frame to project the tray beyond the end of the board or witl'rdraw it beneath the board.

In combination with an ironing board. having folding legs, a pair of guides secured to the underside of the board, a frame supportedby and slidable in guides, a may suppcmte'd by the frame, and means for ext nding the tray beyond the end of the with a movable portion of one of the legs so as to be actuated by the folding and nnfolding of the latter.

6. In combination with an ironing board having folding legs, a pair of guides secured to the underside of the board, a frame slidably supported in said guides, a tray.sup-- ported by the frame, and a rod connecting the frame with a movable part of one of the legs, whereby the position of the legs determines the position of the slidable frame.

7. In combination with an ironing board having two pairs of connected folding legs, movable as a unit from folded to an unfolded position, and vice versa, the movement of said legs to either position being effected solely by gravity when the board .is moved to either a vertical or horizontal position, an iron rest slidably mounted in connection with the board, and link means pivotally connected to the iron rest and to a movable part of one pair of legs whereby the iron rest may be projected beyond the board or drawn beneath the board. by the movement of the legs to their unfolded or folded positions respectively.

8. In combination with an ironing board, foldable legs, fixed pivot means for connecting said legs to the underside of the board, guides provided on the board, an iron rest slidable in said guides, and means for connecting said rest to a movable portion of one of the foldable legs.

9. In combination with an ironing board having foldable legs slidably connected to-' gether, an iron rest, and means for mounting said rest to slide inwardly beneath the board or outwardly beyond the end of the board, and means for connecting said first named means to a movable portion of one of the legs for effecting said movements upon the folding or unfolding of the legs.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature.

WILLIAM ISAAC RAVERT. 

